Neltharion the Earth-Warder

Khaz’Goroth, the Titan shaper and forger of the world, bestowed some of his bast power upon the mighty black wyrm, Neltharion. The Great-hearted Neltharion, known afterwards as the Earth-warder was given dominion over the earth and the deep places of the world. He embodied the strength of the world and served as Alexstrasza’s greatest supporter.

Neltharion has control over the land, and its fathoms, including lava. His main attack is a spit of Core lava fire. He can live within volcanoes and high temperature areas. It is rumored that he was able to find the prison of the Old gods. The inner-voices of the three Old gods convinced him that he could have power beyond his imagination if he served them. The voices made him paranoid of even his black dragonflight. Neltharion wanted a world where only he and his dragonflight and some servants that yield to hm could exist. A world where all the other dragonflights no longer existed, and where Ysera and Alexstrasza would be his petty slaves for mating.

The Old gods convinced Neltharion to create the Dragon Soul—later known as the Demon Soul. With help of goblins, Neltharion created the simple golden disc. It was made of Neltharion’s blood and forged in the goblin’s cauldrons and anvils deep beneath the earth.

Empowered by Neltharion’s magic, the simple golden disc was shielded magically so that the other Dragon Aspects couldn’t see within the disc. There was an evilness within the disc, some taint of the Old gods. It is unknown as to what content of the Old gods the disc had. Neltharion captured a demon of the Burning Legion during the War of the Ancients, ten thousand years ago, and placed the Dragon Soul on its forehead. The demon was consumed, leaving just his ashes and skull. Neltharion removed the disc from the remains of the demon’s skull.

Back to the den of the Dragon Aspects, Neltharion convinced Malygos to help him with the other Dragon Aspects. All of them agreed to give part of their powers to the Dragon Soul, including all dragons of their dragonflights. Neltharion proposed that the Dragon Soul disc could be a weapon of great power to destroy the demons of the Burning Legion.

Neltharion, the Dragon Aspects and their dragonflights flew toward Zin-Azshari where the Night Elves held the demons at bay. The Ancients had already been killed one by one. Seeing the sky full of dragons, the Night Elves thought they were now going to win the war. Heralded by the black dragon Neltharion, the dragons awaited his first attack. Neltharion grabbed the Dragon Soul and decimated most of the demons with one swing of radiant magic that swept the ground. The Dragon Aspects saw in horror as Neltharion also killed hundreds of Night Elves and other allies along with the demons.

Neltharion showed his betrayal at last. He was the only one who did not give of his powers to the Dragon Soul. Now with the disc at his command he wanted all races and the demons to see his power and to bow to him. The Dragon Aspects attacked Neltharion in an attempt to take the Dragon Soul from him and to talk with him thereafter what was wrong with him.

The Blue dragonflight surrounded Neltharion, and with a swing of the demon soul all the blue dragons perished becoming dust. The next swing of the demon soul paralyzed all dragonflights and the Dragon Aspects in mid-air. Unable to move nor speak. Only Alexstrasza was allowed by Neltharion to speak when he wished.

The revelation of his betrayal and the use of the demon soul transformed Neltharion’s body. His body cracked open, revealing his molten heart, and magma and fire flowed off his chest. His eyes became aflame in red, demonstrating his power and evilness.

Deathwing slashed at the Dragon Aspects and dragonflights blowing them up and scattering them far away. The Dragon Aspects, in desperation shielded themselves and hid to become undetected even by each other.

Neltharion’s betrayal had striken a great blow to the Aspects, and their fear to be destroyed like the blue dragonflight kept them secluded. Deathwing returned to his lair beneath a mountain. His proximity to the Demon Soul was ripping his body apart. The Goblins forged an armor of adamantium to serve as a vessel to contain Deathwing’s raging powers in check. His new powers were consuming his body. The metal armor would make sure to keep his body together.

The Old gods manipulated Deathwing to create the Demon Soul disc, but their true intention was that the demons would inform their lord Sargeras of the great power of the weapon used against themselves. Sargeras would no doubt want the Demon Soul to power up the gateway that would let him enter Azeroth.

By using the demon soul to amplify the gateway, the three Old gods hoped to escape their prison beneath the planet. Malfurion used the Emerald Dream to find Deathwing’s lair and stole the Demon Soul from Deathwing. Malfurion could hear the voices of the Old gods come from within the Demon Soul, asking him to wield the power. He used the demon soul to escape by opening a path through the mountain.

The more Malfurion used the Demon Soul’s power, the more tainted he became with the voices. Malfurion finally broke away the tempting thoughts, and put the Demon Soul on his bag. The same voices that made Neltharion—a good hearted being, become an insane force of evil.

Ilidan and Varo’then captured Malfurion and took the demon soul. Varo’then—successor in command in replacement to Lord Xavius by order of Azshara—held the Demon Soul through their journey back to Zin-Azshari. During his travel, even Varo’then felt the whisperings of the Old gods. Once at the palace, Varo’then gave back the Demon Soul to Mannoroth. It was used to power up the portal that would allow Sargeras to enter Azeroth. You may read the whole story at War of the Ancients Trilogy pocketbooks.

After the Burning Legion was defeated, the Dragon Aspects sealed the Demon Soul with their energies, and now Neltharion may not ever use the Demon Soul. The artifact was buried in an undisclosed area by Malfurion by request of the Dragon Aspects.

After the War of the Ancients, no longer having the demon soul on his grasp, Neltharion dedicated to destroy most of life forms and to wreck havok on the planet. With his powers over earth, Nelfurion caused volcanoes to rise along with the destruction already caused by the Well of Eternity’s implosion that sundered half the world underwater.

The athmosphere was covered by dark ashes that blocked the sunlight. Races had to strive and survive for thousands of years with cold weather and lack of food and shelter. Seven thousand years later, the Earthen awoke from Uldaman discovering their skin was no longer metal and stone. It became living flesh. Something caused their bodies’s structure to weaken becoming flesh. The same phenomena caused a change on Azeroth’s metals—as reported by Norgannon the Stone Watcher and Lore Keeper in Uldaman.

The Earthen left Uldaman, they created Ironforge and named the land Khaz’Modan or Mountain of Khaz—after their patron Khaz’Goroth.

Shortly, years later, the Sun once more was seen as the last traces of volcanic ashes cleared from the sky. Three thousand years later, during the Second War with the Dragonmaw Clan invading Azeroth, Deathwing saw the opportunity to seize control of the Alliance and the Dragons.

He found the Demon Soul’s location and although he couldn’t wield its power because of the enchantment placed upon it by the Dragon Aspects, he saw potential with the Dragonmaw Clan.

The goblin servant of Deathwing was sent as spy to infiltrate the Dragonmaw Clan and to serve Nekros the warlock. Unknown to Nekros, he was being manipulated by the goblin who was doing Deathwing’s bidding. Nekros was given the Demon Soul by his Warchief Zuluhed. Zuluhed wanted his servant Nekros to use his warlock magic to find a use for the Demon Soul. Although the poor orc warlock had no clue what power he was wielding, he could still use some of its power to kidnap Alexstrasza, her elder consort Tyranasztraz and her eggs.

The goblin, following orders from Deathwing, whispered ideas to Nekros. Deathwing finally was able to get ahold of some eggs of Alexstrasza when the Dragonmaw Clan was moving the eggs away from Grim Batol to seek safety at Dun Modr. You can still see the destroyed Caravan outside the Dragonmaw Gates, in Grim Batol(Wetlands). The story can be read at Warcraft: Day of the Dragon.

Deathwing was defeated by the Dragon Aspects and is still alive. Hiding. The book says at the end that it will be long before he will attempt to cause havok upon the world. Rumor is that Deathwing did escape and still had some eggs with which he was able to rise a new black dragonflight: Onyxia and Nefarian—offsprings of Deathwing. With the absence of their father, now Onyxia and Nefarion try to have control over the world.

Onyxia’s lair is at the Wyrmbog in Southern Dustwallow Marsh, Kalimdor. While Nefarian’s lair is now Blackrock Spire, atop the Blackrock Mountain in Burning Steppes.

Onyxia is posing as a human counselor for the new child King of Stormwind under the name of Lady Katrana Prestor. Nefarian poses as a human named Lord Victor Nefarious—Lord of the Blackrock Mountain. He was able to enslave the Blackrock Clan orcs which now serve him. Nefarian wishes to take control of the lower Blackrock Mountain, trying to destroy the Black Iron Dwarves and Ragnaros. Once the nuisance has been dealt with, Nefarian plans to take control of the world with his experiment: the chromatic dragonflight and drakonids, while his sister Onyxia destroys the Alliance from within as Lady Prestor.

Rumors

Of Deathwing, nothing is known. Not even his offsprings know. He could be hiding, but another rumor from Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict is that Deathwing might possibly be held prisoner by Alexstrasza at Grim Batol. Whether true or not, Alexstrasza and the Red Dragonflight do not let anyone get near Grim Batol, for they are protecting something zealously within the walls of Grim Batol.

Rumor# 2: Deathwing likes volcanic hideouts. The map of Isle of Kezan (Undermine) shows a Volcano. Goblins served Neltharion during the War of the Ancients, which makes it a suitable place for hiding—Read War of the Ancients Trilogy books.

Rumor# 3: Deathwing could have managed to escape to Outland somehow. Deathwing used to have a lair by an isle located off the coast of the Hellfire Peninsula. Very unlikely rumor.

Rumor# 4: Deathwing had taken a human form and donned the name Lord Prestor. He took refuge in Gilneas, pretending to be an Alterac refugee. It was Lord Genn Greymane who submitted Lord Prestor to the Alliance as heir of the throne of Alterac. Deathwing used magic to charm Lord Greymane and every King of the Alliance into accepting Prestor as heir of Alterac. After Deathwing’s defeat by the Dragon Aspects near Grim Batol, Deathwing may have hidden in Gilneas. Mysteriously, Lord Genn Greymane retreated from the Alliance when King Terenas placed a tax to support the orc internment camps. Then ordered the construction of the Greymane Wall to isolate Gilneas from the Alliance territories. Fishy? (the wall was built 10 years after the Dark Portal opened, same year Ner’zhul’s icy prison crashed into Northrend). We recommend reading Warcraft: Day of the Dragon for the story of Lord Genn Greymane of Gilneas, and Lord Prestor/Deathwing. Some details of Gilneas may be read in Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict—narrated by Prospector Brann Bronzebeard.

Rumor# 5: The final rumor is that Deathwing may be hiding at Mount Hyjal—a 40-man raid instance. Within Hyjal is a sub-instance similar to outdoor of Onyxia’s lair.

Tomas Hernandez is owner of Blizzplanet.com since 2003. I post news about World of Warcraft, StarCraft II, Diablo III, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard Careers, and the Warcraft film.

Blizzplanet is a leading fansite covering news about upcoming Blizzard Entertainment licensed products. I also post previews and reviews. I have interviewed book writers and Blizzard game developers.

I was previously an employee of the OGaming Network (2003), and IncGamers (2008-2010). I was a guest newsposter for GosuGamers (World of Warcraft) a few years ago and for Diablofans.com (formerly Diablo3.com)

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